


Summer Nights

by AbbyGibbs



Category: NCIS
Genre: Anger, Confusion, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, How can you be so smart and so dum, Love Confessions, Romance, Running Away
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-25
Updated: 2016-10-03
Packaged: 2018-08-17 05:20:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8132006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AbbyGibbs/pseuds/AbbyGibbs
Summary: Abby needs time away from everything and definitely away from her boss and best friend, Gibbs.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Author: AbbyGibbs  
> Fandom: NCIS  
> Pairing: Gibbs/Abby  
> Rating: T or FR13 to M or NC-17  
> Spoilers: none  
> Warning: None yet.  
> Disclaimer: Everything belongs to CBS and the people who created NCIS.  
> No copyright infringement is intended.  
> A/N: Well, as several of you have asked here is more to Impulse, but don't blame me for anything, I'm so not responsible for this one, I hope you will like it though. It's gonna be in more parts, I think.  
> Thanks to Mark Harmon, Pauley Perrette, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo, Sean Murray, David McCallum and all the other for giving life to the wonderful characters of NCIS. Thanks, Laci as always.  
> Beth Hendersen and Josh Landrew are mine!

NCIS forensic scientist, Abigail Sciuto felt as if she was going to explode if she didn't leave. Leave far away from here. Far away from D.C. and, most definitely, far away, from NCIS special agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. She loved the man like crazy and if she was honest with herself, she would admit that she's never loved any other men in her life like she loved Gibbs.

And loving him was definitely the reason why she need to leave. Abby wasn't sure where she would go, all she knew was that she had to leave everything and everyone behind her for a while. How could he act like that, after the kiss they'd shared that night? Did it mean nothing to him? She didn't want to believe it, but Gibbs hadn't refer to it since it had happened and each time she tried to bring the subject in the conversation, but he'd dismiss it right away.

Abby couldn't bring herself to understand why Gibbs was acting like that. She wanted to know so one evening she decided to go to his house and asked what was going on. The NCIS forensic scientist wanted to know where she stood. She got the answer she came for without even going in.

As he wanted to stop the engine of her car, she saw him standing at his front door with a woman and from what she could see they were definitely no stranger to one another. They were laughing before kissing like there was no tomorrow.

Her eyes watered instantly as she drove away. Abby made the decision to resign and leave NCIS as soon as possible. Gibbs had played enough with her feelings and for too long.

**The next day...**

DiNozzo Gibbs simply said, but at the tone of voice he had Tony knew that this couldn't be good. _What was going wrong in the boss's world now_ , he thought.

"Have you seen, Abby?"

"In her lab." Tony answered automatically.

"Well then, you must have better eyes than I do because I just went to her lab and all that there was down there was silence and darkness."

Tony was about to open his mouth, to tell his boss that, he had indeed better eyes, but stopped himself when he realized what Gibbs's words were implying.

This wasn't good. He checked his watch 10:45a.m. Something wasn't right, here.

"Then I don't know where she is."

"Did she say anything to you?"

"No. I haven't seen her since late yesterday afternoon."

"Damn!" Gibbs muttered.

"Haven't seen her, either," McGee and Ziva told him.

"Does anyone know if Ducky has seen her?"

"No, boss."

"Have you tried to call her?" McGee asked.

"I'm sure he has McSmarty" Tony said, eying his colleague because he knew Gibbs had already tried. It surely was the first thing that his boss did. As she didn't answer he must have gone looked at her place.

Not finding her there, he went to her usual places with no luck and that was why he was so pissed. Well maybe not pissed off, but definitely not in a good mood.

"Voice Mail" Gibbs announced, dryly.

"I'll try and see if I localize her cell phone." McGee said, as he hurried his fingers on the computer key board.

A moment later, Tim's voice told them that Abby must have turned it off because, he couldn't trace it.

Tony lifted a brow. Something was going on. It wasn't like Abby to be unreachable. He had this strange feeling, she was somewhere safe.

What happened between the two of you? W as the question Tony asked himself.

"Miss Sciuto won't be there for two weeks." Vance said as he was watching them from the stairs that went to the M-TAC.

Four pairs of eyes looked up at him. "You granted, Abby, two weeks' vacation?" Gibbs asked the director.

"Yes, she needed it for personal reasons."

"She's my forensic scientist, Leon."

"Correct me if I'm wrong Gibbs, but last time, I checked, I was still the Director or did something change?" He said coldly.

Gibbs didn't answer, but everything had become silent around them. The silence stretch for a little while longer until Vance decided it was time to go get some paper work done back in his office. Lean Vance knew that Leroy Jethro Gibbs wouldn't have backed off any time soon, it wouldn't have either, but he had no time for this game right now.

And for Vance it was time for Gibbs to give his forensic scientist so freedom, time for him to learn that Abigail Sciuto wasn't propriety. Maybe now he would finally understand, not everything in Miss Sciuto's world turns around the great Gibbs.

"Josh?"

["Yeah… Whom am I talking to?"]

"Josh, it's me, Abby. Abby Sciuto."

["ABBY! How are you?"]

"Not so great, in fact, I was wondering if I could come to see for a few days."

When he answered his friend, Josh's voice was softer and full of concern. ["Sure, what's going on?"]

"I'll give you a head's up, when I'll see in a couple of hours."

"Okay. I'll see you then."

Josh Landrew had met Abby a couple of years ago, while they were doing free work in a kennels, they had rapidly sympathized and become friends. Josh had adopted a few dogs. Josh lived with his parents' back them, in a big house — he came from a wealthy family, but neither he nor his parents' behaved like they were. They rarely wore fancy clothing and they had a way to put everyone at ease, Josh was studying to become a veterinarian.

He knew that Abby had a crush. No, was actually in love with her boss, he had understood it very soon, just about the way she talked about him. Her eyes were sparkling when she mentioned so much has his name.

Josh smiled as he remembered how animated Abby could get when she was talking about something or someone, she really liked. Abby's one special lady, he briefly wondered if she and Gibbs were a couple now. Maybe that was precisely, the reason, she was coming over.

As she was on the plane that was flying her to California, Abby's thoughts drifted toward the moment she saw Gibbs and that woman kissing. The forensic specialist closed her eyes in hope to stop the tears that were threatening to fall.

_How could he do this? I thought, I knew him? I thought, I really meant something to him... How stupid of me._

 

_To be continued..._


	2. Chapter 2

**~2~**

NCIS special agent Anthony DiNozzo couldn't really concentrate himself on what he was doing. He should, he knew he should, but it felt impossible for him to do so. The fact that Abby was on vacation for two weeks bothered him. He didn't really bought Vance's explanations. Sure Abby needed time off, but she wouldn't have left without saying goodbye. It didn't make sense.

To make things worse, since Director Vance had told them that Abby wouldn't be at work for fourteen days, Gibbs had turned grumpy, and was now barking orders.

They were all relieved when he announced that he was going to get himself a coffee.

DiNozzo waited a few minutes to be sure that his boss was gone, to stand up and approach Ziva's desk.

"Did Abby say anything to you about taking some time off?"

"No.

"Did she say anything to you, Tim?" Ziva asked the agent as she looked at him.

McGee shook his head negatively "no."

It was so un-Abby-like not to tell her friends anything at all. It made them all come to the same conclusion: whatever it was, it must be serious. DiNozzo had this crazy idea that Abby's departure had something to do with their boss. Vague memories suddenly flashed to his mind. It had happened a little while ago.

Something good must have happened to his "little sister" because she was really happy and more extreme than usual, and he couldn't be sure, and definitely didn't want to assume anything, but was certain she had Gibbs had grown closer together if that was even possible.

Then suddenly without a warning, "happy Abby" was gone and replace by "cynical and sad Abby" The once so affectionate woman he'd known had disappeared. And now… this.

 _She's running away_ , he suddenly thought.

"What?"

Tony hadn't realized he'd voiced his thought out loud.

"She's running away."

"From whom?" McGee asked, not following his colleague's line of thoughts.

DiNozzo was about to answer, but Ziva was faster to reply. "Gibbs."

Tony nodded his head. He knew Ziva had understood because, something had change in her eyes the minutes her brain had put the pieces together.

"No, you guys, you're wrong. Abby would never run away from Gibbs. They're too close for that."

"Or not close enough..." Ziva mused.

Tim frowned, completely lost now. "What are you getting at, Ziva?" He asked a hint of frustration in his voice.

"Don't you, understand, McSlowly? Abby ran away, because she likes Gibbs more than she should. She's in love with him."

"No. She's not!"

"Timothy, I know you still have feelings for her, though you won't admit it. Try and put the pieces together, McGee." She told him.

Something in his facial expression changed after a few moments. He had finally put two and two together.

"It all started when this woman entered in Gibbs's life. What's her name again? Beth... Beth something... Hendersen. Beth Hendersen."

Tony and Ziva both nodded their heads.

"Oh my gosh, do you think something happen between Abby and the boss and that he would have done has if nothing has happened between them?"

"It's a possibility, yes." The ex Mossad agent, replied.

Neither of them could understand — if they were right — why Gibbs would act like this with Abby. She was his favorite; everyone who worked at NCIS knew that so really it didn't make any sense to any of them.

"Why would the boss do such a crazy thing? It's not like him — well, he could act like that —, but with someone he really cared about, not with Abby."

As much as he hated to admit it, McGee knew that Tony and Ziva were right, Abby was in love with Gibbs and if he was honest with himself, he could see that the feelings were mutual, though their boss seemed to be somewhat reluctant to show his feelings to the world.

Tim realized then that he had always known the truth in his heart. When he'd been together with her, it'd been great and everything but he had always had the impression — well maybe not always —, but often that she wasn't really with him in thoughts. Now he knew why. Abby would never really be able to love another man.

His heart broke once again. However, if she was happy because or better said thanks to Gibbs that was the most important.

For the moment, she was rather sad because of Gibbs and that made Tim angry with his boss.

"So what do we do?"

Both his colleagues eyed him questioningly.

"Oh come on, guys. I love Abby, and as much as I would love to for her to feel the same for me, her heart belongs to Gibbs. I rather see her happy with someone else than unhappy because the man she loves is scared to mess things up with her. We have to make him understand that being with that "traveling stands" won't make things better."

Tony and Ziva laughed.

"Traveling stands? That's an interesting choice of words." DiNozzo said. As hard as it was for him, he had to admit McGee was right.

He couldn't believe his boss was going out with that woman that Beth Hendersen, she had nothing for her except maybe her red hair, but still, that wasn't enough to date a woman, not even for himself.

So he couldn't understand how Gibbs could, the woman had no curves, no boobs, no nothing, something more into this crazy equation that didn't make any sense. What was going? He was pretty much tempted to ask Mcchip to dig and see what there was the find about the woman.

Ziva herself was wondering what was going on in Gibbs's head, it wasn't like him, though, she was sure he had a very good reason for his actions, she disapproved them this time. Abby wasn't any woman, the scientist was a member of their team, a friend.

She had to do something to help her friend and bring her back from wherever she might be.

"Ready for operation _Happy Abby_?" Tim suddenly said.

"Ready!" They both answered, and walked over to him.

 

To be continued...


	3. Chapter 3

**~3~**

The sun had never been Abby's best friend, but for some reason now it didn't seem to really bother her as much. She was even glad it was shining. It was time to move on, to change. She was even thinking of changing her life. Maybe she'd go work with the team in L.A... ask if she could be transferred there. That way she would see G. Cullen, Hetty back and the others. who knows?

As much as she loved Gibbs, she couldn't take this situation anymore. Maybe leaving would make him understand that she wasn't something granted. Her feelings for him were unfortunately something she couldn't suppress or ignore forever, she couldn't erase them.

Maybe she had to forget him and try to built a life without him — them. Well not them, but she wouldn't see them that often anymore. The thought made her sad, but she couldn't live like this. She was feeling more miserable each day. It would be hard though for her to see him, all the time. She would miss her friends... She had to take care of her welfare first. Gibbs had always been everything for her, she owed him everything and, she had always thoughts that their flirting would one day, maybe, lead to something more. Obviously, she'd been wrong.

The problem was thought, she couldn't get the kiss they'd shared out of her mind. The moment his lips had pressed against hers had been magic. Abby had been so sure this was it, the moment their relationship would take another level. Finally it they would start something together. What she hoped, what her heart secretly hoped, he had felt the magic as well it couldn't have been any different.

Apparently not.

If he had really felt the magic, he would never have started something with that woman.

 _Was being a red head, the only criterion for Gibbs to chose a woman?_ She wondered. Not even Tony would have been going out with that sort of woman let alone kiss her and, he had had his share already. Why would a man like Leroy Jethro Gibbs then?

Abby knew she was hurting herself by thinking and wondering about it, but she couldn't help herself she wanted to understand why he would chose to go with other women instead of her.

_Gibbs why do you tore my heart the way you do?_

She sighed heavily, this situation was hopeless. Sometime away from everyone would hopefully help her to clear things out.

Tim looked around to make sure Gibbs wasn't there. As he didn't see him anywhere, McGee went back to his desk, a couple of seconds later, his fingers were hitting his keyboard rapidly.

Tony and Ziva looked at one another surprised wondering about what their colleague was doing. Then after a few moments.

"Huh, huh. This is not good."

"What isn't good, Tim?" Ziva asked walking over to him.

"I can't find her anywhere."

"Who? Abby?" Tony wondered as he had imitated Ziva and walked over at McGee's desk.

"No. The woman Gibbs seems to be dating... Beth Hendersen."

DiNozzo was impressed by Tim at the moment, he would never have thought that, the younger agent would have the guts to looked for information on a woman the boss was dating.

"Have you found something?"

"That just it, Ziva. I can't find anything about her. Not even a birth certificate. It's as if the woman doesn't exist."

"Well she exists for sure, she's with Gibbs." An annoyed ex-Mossad agent replied.

"We know. We saw her too, remember? We were standing next to you when Gibbs introduced her to us.

"What is Gibbs doing?" Tony said between his teeth as he felt a knot forming in his stomach. A knot that told him that some was going to happen and it wasn't going to be something good.

_Why couldn't life be quiet and pleasant for a little while? What the hell was going on?_

Gibbs was boiling inside as he walked back to the NCIS building. Abby was gone and he didn't even know why, but one thing, he was absolutely certain of was that his favorite girl was not gone on holiday. His gut feeling was telling him that her departure had something to do with him. Abby had not even take the time to say good-bye and that was something she would never do unless she was really hurt or angry or both.

The problem was that he didn't know what he'd done for her to be one of both. It couldn't be in relationship with Beth because no one knew about it. That wasn't exactly truth though, because the team at seen her, but he had never mentioned that they were more than friends ... Sure his team were the best agents in their area of expertise, but he was fairly certain that no one knew about him and Beth.

One of these days, he would tell Vance what he thought of his ideas. Why in hell did he even tell him he accepted this crazy mission. Now that things were going so well with Abby... The kiss they shared, he couldn't get it out of his mind. The way her lips felt on his. No woman had ever made him feel the way she did. He couldn't deny it anymore, since that kiss all he wanted was to do it over and over again.

He suddenly wished to be able to go back in time. Life was never going to be easy was it? No matter how things were going, but each time, things were going finally well something came around the corner to jeopardize things, like a puzzle that you'd finally finished and you'd accidently bump into it, it falls, pieces fly everywhere and you have to do it all over again.

Gibbs realized then that he wasn't about to let life tell him what direction he had to take. He would decide about where to go. No one and nothing else would from now on, not even life itself. He had already paid life a too large tribute: Mike, Shannon, Kelly, Kate, Paula Cassidy, Macy... He wanted to take it from her now.

Abby would know how much she means to him... if she ever forgives him.

_Goodness, Abbs, I wish I could tell you how much I wanna be with you, kiss those sweet lips of yours so supple so tasteful and pliant under mine._

As he was lost in his thoughts, the NCIS team leader didn't pay attention to where he was walking, and before he knew he stood in front of Mike's grave stone.

He sighed heavily. "All right, Mike, tell me."

"Tell you what, probie?" Gibbs heard, Mike's voice answer, before the man appeared slowly before his eyes.

Franks looked at him with a slight annoyance shining in his gaze. He shook his head thinking the man he had once taken under his wing hadn't change a bit, sometimes, he wondered if he would ever learn. Mike had been observing him and more than once he would have done everything to slap Gibbs on the back of his head.

"Tell me why to didn't say no to Vance?"

"He gave me a mission to accomplish."

"I know. Now, the real reason, please."

"There isn't any other reason, Mike." Gibbs told him.

"Who exactly are you trying to convince here, me or you? The reason why you did accept the mission Vance gave you is because you are scared that, a relationship with her would actually work. Hernandez, is gone, probie, you killed him. You won't lose her, but you will lose her if you don't do something this time. Abby won't understand the fact that you are flirting with another woman."

"Abby doesn't know about Beth."

"That's what you think, probie. She saw you, kissing her fully on the mouth."

"No."

"Yes, she did and that's the real reason behind her so called holidays, Gibbs, the poor kid loves you. And seeing you with Hendersen broke her heart."

Leroy Jethro Gibbs swore inwardly. Damn it!

No he wasn't going to lose the best thing he's ever had in his life for a mission. He would accomplish his duty but first he had to find Abby and tell her that he could forget the kiss they'd exchanged. He just had to. Damn with the consequences-well not exactly, but he would talk to Abby.

"What do I do now, Mike?"

"You go and find the girl and talk to her, then you accomplish your mission the way you are suppose to, and if you don't, I'll come and haunt you for the rest of your life." His mentor told him.

"The mission..."

"Abby." Mike simply said.

Gibbs reached in his jacket pocket for his cell phone, but before he flipped it open he drunk up the last gulp of coffee.

"Anything on Abbs, yet?"

["No, boss, nothing."]

Tony was about to say they didn't find anything about his new girlfriend, but stopped himself from doing so. Now wasn't the right time for this discussion, but he would definitely tell him what he thought of his actions.

"You have the lead for a few hours, DiNozzo." Gibbs informed him before putting an end to the conversation.

Mike's words circled in his head while Gibbs left the cemetery. _The real reason why you accepted the mission is because you're afraid that a relationship with her would actually work._

_Pedro Hernandez is gone, you killed him._

Abby wasn't and would never be Shannon. His mind had taken a decision, he knew was the right one, but for some reason his heart seemed to be trying to tell him it was not. It was probably because his heart wanted to protect itself from being hurt again. How was going to be able to reconcile his heart and head, he wondered. Never in his life had he had such a difficult situation to deal with. It was easier do him to cope with the fact that he had killed people, than to be deal with what his feelings. It had always been the case, even when Shannon was still alive.

_If you don't tell her, you will lose her anyway._

Mike was right, he had to tell her, but damn it how? Wasn't there any other way, to make her understand what he meant for her instead of telling her?

Really the easiest thing to do, Mike. Gibbs thought.

"Gibbs?" Ziva asked.

"Yes, he told me to take the lead on the case for a few hours."

At Tony's words Ziva lifted a eye brow.

"He gave you the lead of the case?"

He nodded his head affirmatively. "Yes. The boss, said I had the lead."

"And he didn't say anything else?"

"No, Ziva, he hang on me."

For some reason, Ziva seemed to have a bad feeling on this, she couldn't explain why, but she felt that something wasn't right. Why would Gibbs suddenly give Tony the lead when he was only going for a coffee. What happened between the moment he left and his phone call?

Maybe he had had an idea of where Abby might be after all. But if it was indeed the fact that he had found where their forensic scientist might have gone why would he be so annoyed? It didn't make any sense. Nothing in this case made any sense.

"Has anyone of you the number of Callen?" The only woman of the team suddenly asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, she might have called him. She seemed to be pretty close to them when she was there."

Tony made a face when he realized that his colleague might be right. He himself had thought about that possibility, but refused to think that Abby could have confide in G. instead of him her _big brother._

He sighed heavily and flipped his cell phone open before he walked a little further, to call him.

["G.?"]

"Yes, DiNozzo."

DiNozzo wondered briefly how G. knew that he was the one calling, but he didn't really care about it. But that wasn't the important thing right now. The important was to find where Abby was.

["Did, Abby, call you, recently?"]

"A week or two ago, why? Did something happen?"

When G. said, Abby had indeed call him, DiNozzo felt a pinch of hurt nagging at his heart, she had called an outsider instead of him.

["Yes, and no."] Tony told him.

  1. frowned. "What's that supposed to mean? Did something happen between her and Gibbs?" Callen asked with interest.



["What makes you think, it has anything to do with Gibbs?"]

"Well, Abby told me..." Callen hesitated. "... I shouldn't even tell you this, DiNozzo... Abby made me swear not to tell you anything. You or anyone for that matter... She knew you'd call. If she finds out, I talked to you, I'm dead, not to mention Gibbs, if he knew she talked to me and I haven't told him..."

["I know..."] Tony answered knowing full well how his boss would react if he'd find out that G knew something about Abby while he wouldn't.

["G. Come on, it's important, it's to help her, help them."]

"All right, I'll tell you. Abby called me a week or two ago, all excite because she was certain that she and Gibbs would finally get together."

["Tell me something I don't know."] Tony cut him off.

"If you would let me finish... The day after that, she called me again in tears... what she told me wasn't funny, but she made me laugh, cause she said the red head Gibbs is dating has no curves whatsoever, no breaths, no nothing, he's dating a plank." Now it was DiNozzo's turn to laugh.

["Abby's right, Beth Hendersen, is a plank."]

"What name did you just say?"

["Beth Hendersen, why?"]

"A tall red haired, woman. Beautiful face, long legs, with a body shaped as a wood plank?"

["Yes that's a perfect description of her."]

"Well that's not her real name, it's only one of her aliases, she's got a long list of them, believe me. Oh God... I hope Gibbs will be very careful. That woman is a praying mantis. She's killed, a few officers for diamonds or money, she's even smuggling people. She's still out there because no matter what she does, she always find a way to come out clean."

["Please, G. tell me you are kidding me."]

"I wish, I was." G. told, Tony.

Tony sighed heavily... ["I guess, Operation Happy Abby will have to wait."]

"Tony what's this operation Happy Abby you are talking about?" Callen heard Tony chuckle slightly on the other side of the phone.

["It's nothing really: Ziva, McGee and me have decided to give Abby a little helping hand to seduce Gibbs."]

"You can count me in, DiNozzo. And I might actually have an idea that with a bit a luck will drive Gibbs nuts."

As he listened to Callen's explanation, a smile appeared on his face, the L.A. was completely crazy and he loved it! He was a genius!

 

To be continued...


	4. Chapter 4

**~4~**

_No, I just can't. I can't tell her what I feel for her, this mission is too important for me to let me feelings for Abby get in the way, I just can't._ Gibbs repeated over and over again.

Praying, Mike was wrong and that Abby would be able to wait for him a little while longer. And if she couldn't well that would mean that they weren't meant to be together. If that would be the case well it would be hard, but he'll live.

Callen smiled as he was on the plane for D.C. he knew that Hetty would understand as he'd explained the situation to her, she loved Abby. So she accepted and wished him good luck. He just hoped that his plan would work out and needed to be careful would his heart, though he knew he had no real chance with her he still felt more than friendship for Abby — he wasn't the only one of their team. And he knew it, Eric liked her too, a whole lot.

The thing was G. hadn't worked on the most sensible part of his plan yet which consisted in convincing Abby to play along.

After flipping his phone close, Tony went back to his desk wearing a mischievous smile on his lips. His two colleagues looked at each other before Ziva asked what the reason for his smile was.

"Well my dear, special agent, Ziva David, I just had an interesting conversation with special agent G Callen."

"And what did he say?" McGee inquired.

"He said that, Abby, indeed called him, twice."

"Twice?"

"Yes, the first one was tell him how happy she was that thing were finally moving in the right direction between her and Gibbs like we suspected..."

"And the second one?" Ziva wanted to know.

"The second one was to tell him, she was hurt because she felt betrayed. She needs some space..."

"But that is not the reason why you are smiling is it?"

"No, it's not you are right about that." He said walking closer to Ziva. As he stood next to her he placed an arm around her shoulders.

"So why are you smiling then?"

"G., also said, he would help us with "Operation Happy Abby""

Tim made a face while a smile lit up his other partner's face. She was excited, now sure that everything would be for the best. The agent wasn't stupid enough not to know that G. had real feelings for Abby, but if her suspicions were right, it would add lots to their and so much more believable because Callen would have to act.

She also knew that he loved and respected Abby and Gibbs enough to put his own feelings to the side and help them to get the happiness they both deserve. Ziva just hoped that the agent's heart wouldn't be too bruised in the end.

"May I take a guess?"

"Sure, let's hear what that pretty little mind of yours has come up with." DiNozzo said still smiling.

"G's gonna play Abby's boyfriend, isn't he? In hope to trigger a reaction from Gibbs."

"That's a A+ for our ex Mossad officer."

"Why does it have to be G? Why couldn't it be one of us?" Tim asked slightly annoyed at the announcement of what G. had planned.

"First Gibbs wouldn't buy it. He knew about you and Abby... and it didn't work, did it? And second: rule #12" it was enough said.

The younger officer still sitting behind his desk, taping away on his keyboard sighed heavily knowing DiNozzo was right. It was already hard enough for him to still having feelings for Abby that he was now going to do everything for her to be happy with someone else, but having to see her play lovers with G. Callen...

Tim wasn't really sure, he would be able to handle that very well.

A smile spread over Josh's lips when he saw Abby approaching. She hadn't changed one bit from he remembered of her. She still had that pale skin, black umbrella, and bright red lips. Abby spend all of her time to help others, if it wasn't victims with solving a case, she helped persons or animals in needs. And when did she take some time for herself? Never!

He had been pleasantly surprised when she'd called him, but it had also brought a couple of questions up.

Life wasn't easy on anyone, was it? He himself hadn't had an easy life from the day he was born, his momma had put him up for adoption because she wasn't to take of him. Shad had done it in one of her clean periods thought she'd been able to stay clean during her pregnancy, Lana was seventeen at the time, had been back on the stuff the minute she had put her new born son for adoption.

Josh had been adopted about six months later, by a sweet young couple: Sienna and David Landrew. They had been awesome to him, Josh had been a little miracle.

When he had been old enough to understand, his mom had told him, he'd been a gift from heaven for them. Sienna had purposefully omitted to tell him then why his *real* mom had left him. Instead she had told him that they'd had always wanted a baby, but couldn't have one, and one night they had made a wish when they'd seen a falling star and a couple of months later, a very good friend of them had brought him to them.

Years later, he had learned the entire story about his biological mother and strangely enough he hadn't really made a big deal out it because as far as he was concerned, Sienna and David were is family. Biological parents' aren't the best ones by definition, they can be, but it's not always the case. The best parents' are those who love you, teach you the differences between right and wrong and inculcate some life values into you.

Josh's happy and that' s the most important thing. He wished that Abigail Sciuto could be that happy too. Unfortunately she'd only fully blossom and be happy if she'd be with the man she loved more than anything in the world, and that man's name's Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

Every men seemed to know so except for one... Leroy Jethro Gibbs himself.

When they were a few inches from one another Abby dropped her bags and her umbrella to be able to hugs her friend. As he held her tightly, she closed her eyes, and enjoyed the feeling of being held.

She used to do it often with Gibbs and now... Abby felt her eyes water and mentally slapped herself. Gibbs was in D.C. and if everything went has planned he would soon belong to her past. The romantic part of her, though, wished he would come after her and tell her that he wanted to be with her more than anything else in the world.

Josh heard her giggle slightly and he pulled a little to look at her.

"You alright, Abby?"

"Yeah, I just realized how stupid I am."

"Why? What do you mean?

"I've decided to come here to be far away from Gibbs and I still wish that come here and tell me that he wants to be with me."

"You're not stupid, Abby, you're in love. It's not something that you can brush away as easily as a tear rolling down your cheek."

"I know that, Josh. I just..."

"I know it hurts, but I have a feeling that everything will be alright."

The forensic specialist wondered briefly how her friend could be so sure about it, but didn't asked any question about it, instead she hugged him a little tighter. It felt good to be here and to see Josh.

A few minutes, later, Josh had taken his friend's back and they walked toward his house. "Still have dogs?" She asked, curious.

Her friend was about to answer, when two dogs came running from inside.

"Yeah, I still have dogs as you can see." He laughed as he set the bags he was carrying down for a minutes. Then he added, "do yourself a favor and sit in the sand."

Abby looked at him curiously. "Just trust me."

"Okay." She said and lowered herself down into the sand and as soon she was sitting, she received the affection of a black Labrador. She laughed as the dog was licking her over while she caressed the animal.

"May I present you, Black Beauty."

"Well, I would have expect that to be a name for a horse..." Abby said in between licks and laughter...

"Come here, girl, let the lady breathe." He said, and the dog stopped to go and greet Josh.

"Thanks," Abby giggled. "And who is this big boy?" She asked her friend as the gray Waimar dog came to greet her.

"Meet, Silver."

"That sure fits him. He's beautiful. How come you have a Weimaraner? You don't see them much here."

"That's right."

"How did you get one?"

"If I tell you, I'll have to kill you." He laughed.

"Oh come on, Josh."

"It's a long story, Abby."

"I got time. I got two weeks."

"All right, I'll tell you, but let's install you first. And you better put something else on."

"Oh, you don't think that you are going to stay inside, do you? And I refuse to see you hiding under that black umbrella of yours."

"But..." The dark haired scientist started to protest.

"No buts, Abby." She wanted to protest again, but stopped herself from doing so when she saw the look in his eyes. The same kind of look Gibbs had when he didn't want to hear any arguing.

Thank goodness, Josh didn't look at all like the man she loved physically, otherwise she might have fallen in his arms far too easily.

"Do you have the intension of changing me or something?" She asked, curious, though a hint of annoyance could be earn in her voice as well.

"Changing you, no. That's impossible, my dear. Showing Gibbs what he misses on the other hand..."

"What? You want to make him jealous?"

Landrew smirked "That's the idea."

"You want to play my fake boyfriend? Is that want you want to do?"

"No. Gibbs wouldn't buy it one single second. Look at me: shorts and Hawaiian shirt and a mustache..."

"What? You think I couldn't be attracted to a younger version of Tom Selleck as Thomas Sullivan Magnum?"

"In another life, maybe." He said, pensively.

Abby laughed. Josh knew her so well. Yeah, maybe in another life. In another life, maybe she and Gibbs would be together and live happy and have kids. Well maybe not have kids but they would at least be together.

Her hair floated lightly in the soft breeze that was caressing her face, she sighed heavily before asking him who he had in mind to play her _new boyfriend_.

"A friend of mine... G. Callen."

"Excuse me. Did you just say: G. Callen?"

"Yes. Why? Do you know him?"

"It's a small world." Abby said.

"You know my friend?"

"If he's a NCIS special agent in Los Angeles. Yeah."

Her friend, place one of his hands on his forehead. Of course, she knows him, the fact that she isn't a field agent doesn't mean she's not a agent or that she doesn't know others. She after all works for NCIS in the first place.

"Yeah that's him." He said, leading the way through the house to her room.

Abby laughed, at the idea her friend had, but he would definitely be worth trying just to see Gibbs's reaction. Her mind imagine the scene and it made her smile.

It was going to be perfect.

 

To be continued...


	5. Chapter 5

**~5~**

Abby looked around the room and smiled when she saw framed pictures of dogs all over the walls. Things hadn't really changed much since the last time she'd been here.

"The room suits you, fine?"

"Of course the room's perfect. Nothing's changed."

"Well why should it change. I like it the way it is."

"You're right. It looks great." Abby said as she sat on the bed.

Silver came to sit next to her on the bed and licked her hand. The forensic scientist

"Silver likes you." Josh told her.

"I noticed." Abby giggled.

"I'm gonna let you install yourself now he said as he walked toward the door. Black Beauty followed him immediately, but Silver didn't moved as he kept licking the scientist hand.

"Silver, come here boy!"

The animal's head snapped up but he didn't go.

"It's okay, Josh, you can leave him with me." Abby smiled.

Her friend nodded his head, and left the room, smiling, as he was happy his friend had finally decided to spend some time away from D.C., her work and everything else. She needed time for herself. Landrew hoped that the time she would spend here would help her to recharge her batteries.

Normally she was the happy, bouncy type of person and now she seemed like the opposite. She smiled but in fact she felt sad, her eyes were telling him the truth. Abigail Sciuto was head over heels in love with NCIS special agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. He had met him once or twice and he seemed to be a very nice man who had principles and rules according to what his friend had told him about him.

And judging from what had witnessed the times they had met Gibbs wasn't immune to her charms either, the way he looked at her, the way he gently placed his hand in the small of her back. And that was why he wanted to do everything he could to make her happy and in his book it meant for her to get together with Gibbs.

Josh couldn't help but wonder what was holding a man like Gibbs back from being with a woman like Abby. He wasn't certain though that it at anything to do with their age difference or the fact that she was considered to be a gothic kind of woman. A smile appeared on his lips as he thought about the face, the NCIS agent would do when, he would see, the new Abby, he planned to present him.

He looked over his shoulder one last time before walking out of the house to place a phone call.

_Gibbs and Abby won't know what will happen to them._

"Still nothing on Abby?" Ziva asked McGee.

"Nah."

"Have you found anything on that Beth Hendersen?"

"Nada, it's as if she doesn't exist," McGee said.

"You won't find anything on her..." Tony told them both.

"How so?" Timothy asked surprised.

"Beth Hendersen isn't her real name. It's just an alias."

"Did Callen tell you that?"

"Yes."

"I'm not sure he's supposed to share that information." Ziva said, intrigued.

"I agree. However, it has to do with Abby. And like all her friends or the people who likes her, he would do anything to make her happy. Wouldn't you do the same thing for her?"

NCIS special agent Ziva David thought for a minute, and then smiled before answering, "Yes, I would."

"That's what I thought." DiNozzo said, smiling as well.

_What wouldn't we do for a smile of Abby?_

Tony smirked has the pieces suddenly fitted together in his brain. DiNozzo realized that Gibbs was one of them. Meaning he would never do something like that to her unless he had a very good reason to. And there was only one thing that was more important than Abby for Gibbs... And that thing was his work. G. must have been right when he mentioned what Beth Hendersen was doing. Why didn't Vance asked him to do the job?

Oh yeah, he could hear the other think. Don't ask, DiNozzo, he is a womanizer, he wouldn't take things seriously. Well they would be wrong; sure he loved women, and he had trouble with Gibbs's rule number 10, but he would have done the job. Hadn't he done the job with Jeanne Benoit and La Grenouille? Yes, he had!

Tony suddenly mumbled: "Idiot!"

Tim and Ziva looked at each other. "Are you alright?"

"Sure, except for the fact that we are a bunch of imbeciles!"

"What? What are you talking about?"

"What is the most important thing for Gibbs?" He asked.

Both of his colleagues said "Abby!" in unison.

"Right. And what is the second thing?"

"His work..." McGee let out.

"Yes. And from what Callen told me this Hendersen woman isn't really an angel."

Ziva looked intently in DiNozzo eyes. And the agent instantly knew what he had to do. He smirked and nodded his head. Timothy McGee wondered what he was missing... it was evident that something was going on between the two of them. The question was... What?

A moment later, DiNozzo was heading for the M-TAC.

In California Abby was playing with Silver and enjoying herself in the sun. Yeah, the sun wasn't bad after all. Never in her life would she have thought that one day she would enjoy its warmth without her umbrella, but she actually did. Josh was on the phone again — thank goodness, he wasn't calling with his cell phone. The forensic scientist was curious though. It was about the sixth person he was calling already. Josh was walking around the house the phone against his ear followed by his black Labrador as if she was his shadow.

As Abby observed them from outside, she giggled.

Only a few hours in her friend's house and she was feeling better already. Surprised at herself, she realized she hadn't really thought of her boss until now. She briefly thought about why she'd never liked the sun before?

Maybe it was because of her job.

She was constantly working in her lab to solve crimes. Abigail Sciuto was an optimistic person by nature, but maybe having to face how horrible the human kind can be day after day was finally getting to her?

Could that be the reason why she had started to dislike the sun?

Anyway, she decided to change things in her life.

There wasn't any time to give it more thought as Josh's Waimar dog bit lightly in her hand to get her attention. Silver wanted Abby to play with him. When she stood up to run after him, she wished her property owner would accept fort her to have a dog. She wanted to keep Jethro, but couldn't because he had refused.

Now things would be different. She was going to have a dog even if she had to move for it to happen and change jobs. When one takes a dog, they should stay home with it or at least make some sacrifices. It's nothing compared to the love you receive in exchange because a dog loves you unconditionally.

Ending his phone conversation, Josh looked for his friend. Not finding her inside of the house, he looked for her outside. A smile appeared on his lips as he spotted her on the beach running bare feet and laughing with his dog.

It was good to see Abby like that. She was now, wearing a pair of black shorts and light blue sleeveless shirt.

Josh never thought the transition would have been so easy. It was bothering him more than anything else. It wasn't like her to give up things so easily. Something was wrong… it felt to him as if she was trying to run from her feelings and to give up on a part of her life. Modifying her looks wouldn't erase her life.

Landrew hoped that his plan would work. If only she knew.

Gibbs was sitting on his bed, glad to be alone. The words were still spinning in his head... Thinking about it, he wondered if his country was the real reason why he had accepted this crazy mission after all. What if the real reason of it was that he was scared to be in a relationship with Abby.

He was letting his fear to fail and lose her forever control his life. That's what Gibbs was really doing.

What was going on with him? A few years ago, he wouldn't have doubts about the mission. He would have had sex with the woman to get information if he had to. And now, he couldn't do it anymore. He should have told Vance, he couldn't do it.

What was he going to do now? He was emotionally handicapped. Shannon was the only woman he had truly ever loved. Since his beloved wife and daughter had died all he had ever tried to do was recreated what he had lost.

The truth was that no woman would ever replace Shannon. None of his ex-wives had ever been ready to battle against a ghost, two ghosts actually.

 _What should I do?_ Gibbs wondered holding his head in his hands.

"You don't have to worry about that anymore." He heard a soft and familiar voice tell him as he looked up he saw Shannon standing in front of him.

Shannon was just as he remembered her. Beautiful, slender with long red hair, and wonderful eyes that could tell so much when she didn't want to talk. She looked like an angel, surrounded as she was, by an aura of light.

She was smiling.

"What?" Gibbs asked and frowned surprised.

"You don't have to worry about what to do, honey, the decision has been made for you." Shannon told him.

"What do you mean?"

"You're stubborn, sweetheart. Why didn't you listen to Mike?"

The NCIS team leader looked surprised. "What, what do you mean?"

"When he told you to give the priority to Abby?" She asked.

"The director gave me something to do."

"Oh, please, Jethro, don't give me that. You were, way too happy, Leon assigned you on that mission. You're scared. And you shouldn't be."

"How can you be so sure of that, Shannon?"

"Just because, I know that everything's going to be fine. I promise."

Gibbs looked at her, still skeptical. How could Shannon be so sure that everything was going to turn out all right when he, himself, had the sickening feeling, he was making a mess of everything. He was scared all right, but his biggest fear wasn't to screw up the mission he'd received... His biggest fear was to lose, Abby.

"Can you give me a guarantee for that?"

The red haired woman in front of him sighed heavily. He husband or ex husband hadn't changed.

"Sweetheart, you know there are no guaranties, but you can take my word for it, everything is going to be alright. You trust me, don't you?"

"Sure, I do, but..."

Shannon cut him off softly. "Why do you think, Abby crossed your path in the first place?"

Gibbs looked at her questioningly. Not understanding where she was getting at. Why would she of all people ask him such a question? He had no idea. He did not know the answer to the question.

She saw at the expression painted on his face he hadn't the slightest clue.

"Abigail crossed your path to help you through the rough times in your life, and for you to find back some happiness. She's there to remind you that there is more to life than loss and death."

"How exactly is she supposed to do that?" He asked rather scenically.

"She would manage to do that very well if only you would let her in."

"I can't allow that. I need to protect her."

"Oh and you think that is what you are doing right now? Is that it?"

"Yes."

"Well let me tell you something mister. You are not protecting her at all right now."

"Yes, I am, from me."

"No you are not! All you are doing is hurting her. She has no need to be protected from you, she's a big girl and stronger than you think. Right now you are destroying her, because you're not giving her a chance to prove you that she can handle things, just as well as the other and even better than the others. Jethro give a chance to love and happiness to enter your life again. Give it a try."

As Gibbs looked in his first wife's eyes, he knew she was telling the truth and the idea the he was destroying Abby was killing him inside. It hadn't been his intention, he had made the promise to himself never to hurt Abby and that was exactly what he was doing.

"What should I do?"

"Let love and happiness invade your heart and love again."

"But..."

"We'll always love you." She said while blowing a kiss in his direction as she was slowly fading away.

 

To be continued...


	6. Chapter 6

**~6~**

 

 _All right, I trust you, Shannon._ Gibbs thought as he walked down the stairs. He had to talk to the director and tell him, he couldn't fulfill the mission after all. This wasn't going to be an easy one. He just hoped that he had made the right decision.

About five minutes later, Gibbs was out of his house and was about to open his car door when his cell phone rang.

"Yeah Gibbs," he said, as he hadn't looked at the caller ID.

["Boss?"]

"Yeah what is it DiNozzo?"

["Vance wants to see you."]

"Tell him, I'm on my way."

["Will do,"] Tony said before ending the conversation.

DiNozzo smiled as he came down the stairs. First phase of their plan had worked, the boss wouldn't be happy about it, but it was for his own good. His and Abby's good actually. When looked up, a smile immediately appeared on her lips. Vance had agreed.

The ex Mossad agent, promise herself to tail him or at least keep an eye on her colleague in some way. She was not stupid enough to think there hadn't been a specific reason for the Director to ask Gibbs in first place.

But it was time for their boss to take care of himself first, all agents had agreed on that. If Gibbs wouldn't take matters in hand for himself well they would. One day he might even thank them, maybe...

On his way back to NCIS, the boss wondered why he suddenly had to go to Vance... There was no real reason he could think for the Director to call him back in. He was doing his work well — at least he thought he did — he was supposed to give him a rapport on how things were going in a few days.

No, he couldn't think of any reason why Vance would want to see him.

Next his thought drifted toward Abby and what Shannon had told him.

_"You don't have to worry about what to do, honey, the decision has been made for you."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"You're stubborn, sweetheart. Why didn't you listen to Mike?"_

_The NCIS team leader looked surprised. "How so?"_

_"When he told you to give the priority to Abby?" She asked._

_"The director gave me something to do."_

_"Oh, please, Jethro, don't give me that. You were way too happy that Leon assigned you on that mission. You're scared. And you shouldn't be."_

_"How can you be so sure of that, Shannon?"_

_"Just because, I know everything's going to be fine. I promise."_

_"Can you give me a guarantee for that?"_

_The red haired woman in front of him sighed heavily. He husband or ex husband hadn't changed._

_"Sweetheart, you know there are no guaranties, but you can take my word for it, everything is going to be alright. You trust me, don't you?"_

_"Sure, I do, but..."_

"Why do you think, Abby has cross your path in the first place?"

 _"Abigail crossed your path to help you through the rough times in your life, and for you to find back some happiness._ She's there to remind you that there is more to life than loss and death."

_"Oh Yeah and, how exactly is she suppose to do that?" He asked rather scenically._

_"She would manage if only you would let her in."_

_The last sentence echoed in his mind over and over._

_She would manage if only you would let her in. She would manage if only you would let her in._

All this time he'd thought that he was doing the right thing. That he was protecting her, but that was not what he was doing. All he had manage to achieve to do in the end was to make the both miserable and he had pushed her away.

The truth suddenly hit him like a ton of bricks. Abby was not on holidays for two weeks, she was leaving them, him. He couldn't let that happen he had to do something and fast. He needed to repair the damages he had caused. He just hoped it wasn't too late.

He'd been so stubborn and foolish. Everyone saw what he was trying so hard to hide. He had feelings for his forensic scientist... Feelings of a romantic nature. Abby knew it. She had tried to help him to express them in any way to reassure herself that she wasn't imagining things and instead of doing just that he'd found a way to freak her out somehow and she'd run.

One of his found the back of his head to slap himself.

If Abby wouldn't want anything to do with him anymore he would be the only at fault as he fully realized what the consequences of his foolishness could be.

His life wouldn't make any sense anymore without her in it.

You're repeating yourself here, Jethro, Gibbs thought to himself. You better stop messing around, make up your mind and get in action. Gibbs's gut was telling him that winning Abby's love and regain her trust wasn't going to be such an easy task.

Little did he know that his team and several of his friends would be helping him.

Abby was sitting in the sand, facing the ocean, she watches the tides roll away. Her mind was full of memories... memories of Gibbs. No matter how much she wanted to, she could not forget him.

She smiled at a particular one. Gibbs wasn't there, but it was about him. Though, she had wished he would have just to see his reaction when she said the words, unfortunately Tony had been the one, hearing them. They were investigating the murders on twenty-seven women. Boone that man was evil. At some point she had realized that Tim wasn't listening to her and just to make sure she'd said something, she secretly wished would have been true.

I'm pregnant, McGee, twins, I haven't told the father yet, it's Gibbs. I know it's wrong, but something about his silver hair gets me all tingly inside.

Tony's face had been priceless.

The one time, she'd been stuck in OTTO, the mad car… it was supposed to be able to drive on its own. The car had been tempered with so that when someone buckled the seatbelt it would locked the doors and carbon monoxide would be released which she wouldn't have survived if Gibbs hadn't come down to the garage to see if she had found something.

When he had put his arms around her and pulled her out of her car she had been so relieved, and happy to feel him against her she held onto him tightly.

He was always there when she needed him. Always…

Abby felt a tear roll down her cheek. They had always been close so what had happen for him to be so distant and... cold.

She suddenly wondered if her friend and co workers' plan was such a good idea. Abby didn't want to force Gibbs in something he didn't want. What if their plan backfired and made him mad. What if he decides that he doesn't want to see her anymore? As she pushed a strand of hair out of her face, Abby takes a deep breath.

How could she have thought one second that leaving would help her forget the love of her life?

Abruptly she stood up and started to run. I could have fallen in love with any man, but no it I had to fall for me boss. Who emotionally handicap and prefers to hide in his work than try and take a risk in a relationship.

She was bare feet as she turned to leave the beach. Josh who came out of the house to see how she was, just sow her in time to call after her.

"Abby!" He called, but she didn't react she just kept running.

Silver moaned as he walked toward him. Josh frowned as he watched his dog; he turned around him as he moaned again.

 _Something's not right here._ Silver only acted that way when something was about to happen. Josh crouched next to the dog and caressed the animal. "What is it boy?" He asked him softly.

Then he heard a loud screech followed by a deaf sound. When he looked up, his heart stood still.

_Abby..._

 

_TBC..._


	7. Chapter 7

**~7~**

"ABBY!" Josh yells when he realizes, his friend's been hit by a car. He stands up and rushes to where the accident happened, tailed by Silver.

 _No. No, no..._ He thought when he sees the scene playing before him. Abby's lying on the asphalt. She appeared to be conscious but not moving. Josh gets closer before he crouches next to his friend.

"Josh, what happened?" Abby asked in a very weak voice.

A sighed of relieve could be heard from Josh Landrew as Abby still knows his name, it meat her head wasn't injured and that she would not suffer from memory loss.

"You've been hit by a car."

"Huh? What?" She asked in disbelief.

"Josh what happen?" Abby asked him again.

Her friend frowned as he answered her question softly. "You've been hit by a car, Abby."

The forensic scientist tried to sit, but has she made the effort to do so, she grimaced and went back to lie down again.

Abby may not be suffering from memory loss, but Josh was fairly certain Abby suffered from a concussion. His suspicions were confirmed when; she asked him once again, what had happened to her. He was about to pull out his cell phone and dial 911 when from the corner of his eye, he saw the driver of the car that just had hit Abby try to run away.

He looked around him for a second and saw that people had gotten together so he asked a woman who stood nearby to stay with her while he would try to get his hands on the driver.

"Hey you!" He said, just before he stood up, and about to run after the man, but didn't move before he made sure that Abby was safe with the woman.

"I'll be right back, honey." He told his friend softly right before he dashed after the man who'd hit Abby with his car.

To his surprise, Josh didn't have too much difficulties to catch the man. It's only when he grabbed him and turned him around that he got mad. The breath of the man smelled like alcohol. This idiot's drunk and got behind his stirring wheel and worst of it all, the driver he's just a kid, well a teenager to be exact.

"Why were you trying to run?" Josh asked annoyed.

The person in front of him looked down at his feet.

"I asked you a question to which I would like to have an answer to."

Not getting anything out of him, he fished in his pants pocket for his cell phone. He started to dial the digits when a pair of eyes looked at him. "Who are you calling?"

"Who? me? Well, I'm calling the cops."

"No no please don't"

"How old are you?"

The teenager looked down again before he gave Abby's friend an answer. "Fourteen"

"Interesting. So tell me why you were drunk and behind the wheel of a..." He looked over the kid's shoulder. "... Porsche that will need a new windshield, as it is seriously bashed up and that isn't the only thing that is or is it?"

"I'm sorry." The teenager said to Josh.

"Sorry's not gonna do it, kiddo. What's your name?"

"Marcus. Marcus Tamory."

"Well, Marcus Tamory, how did you get the alcohol?"

"Just took it in the bar. My parents' are rich."

"So because they are rich it gives you the right to drink and get behind the steering wheel or your father's Porsche?"

"My mother's Porsche."

Josh felt like he was boiling inside, wealthy kids, all the same — no that's not true, some were good kids — mammy and daddy are at work so I can do whatever pleases me without worrying about the consequences. Josh, himself, was wealthy man and had he done stupid things when he was a teenager, say he hadn't would be a lie, which teenager doesn't do stupid things? Nevertheless, never has he been drunk behind the wheel.

In Josh's book though there was stupid and stupid. Throwing a water balloon from a window that would land on somebody's head that was a stupid thing indeed, but it was somehow harmless.

What Marcus had done was something entirely different. He went drunk behind a wheel. That's dangerously stupid. Josh would call the cops anyway he had to there had been an accident which had hurt Abby, but he could leave her alone has she was going to go the hospital by ambulance and he had to call G. and tell him what had happened.

His friend wasn't going to be happy at all.

In Vance's office Gibbs could not believe was he was hearing. The director was telling him that Tony was taking over the mission. At first Gibbs thought, he hadn't heard right then as he realized he did, he felt a mix of emotion go through him, he was relieved because he could find out when Abby was and tell her that he wanted to give them a chance. Annoyed because the mission had been taken away from him as if he couldn't do work properly anymore. And slightly scared though he was certain DiNozzo could accomplish the mission, he also knew the danger the man was going to be in.

The woman he would be up against was not an easy one.

"Go find miss Sciuto, and bring her back to D.C., but I would suggest before you come back with her that you tell her how you feel about her."

Gibbs's eyes narrowed. How could Vance know he had feelings for their forensic scientist? "I will bring her back."

"I'm the Director, Gibbs, I might spend a lot of time in my office, but I'm not blind." Vance's looking at him in the eyes. "Go get her back before it's too late, Gibbs. Tony will do just fine he's an excellent agent."

"I know he is."

"You might think of yourself as a lone eagle, Gibbs and you probably are in some ways, but don't ignore love when it comes along."

A knock on the door interrupted them. Both men looked it the direction of the door when Vance said: "Come in."

"Excuse me, Director, but I just received a call from agent Callen who told me that Abby has had an accident."

"What happened, DiNozzo?"

Looking Gibbs in the eyes, Tony explained to him what G. Callen had told him on the phone. As he had expected it, Gibbs didn't react as he listened, but the look in his icy blue eyes hardened considerably.

Now at least they knew where she was 'hiding' the NCIS team leader looked at the director who nodded his head. A second later he was heading for the door. He stopped in the corridor and placed a hand on his senior field agent's shoulder and told him to be careful cause the woman he would measure up to was dangerous.

He wished him good look and if there was anything he had to let him know as soon as he could.

DiNozzo nodded his head affirmatively and wish his boss good luck.

_There goes Operation Happy Abby_

A smile appeared on his lips as another plan took form in his mind.

Josh held Abby hand on the way the hospital as he was sitting in the ambulance next to her while the doctors when examining her.

"Gibbs..." She murmured. "Gibbs where are you? I need you?"

Landrew's heart broke as he listened to his friend's pleas. He needed to do something. He needed to find a way to contact the man and bring him her in California.

 

TBC...


	8. Chapter 8

**~8~**

_How stupid have I been? I wouldn't listen to Mike as he told me what to do, and now... Shannon told me too, I should have listen to them, I should have listen._ Was all the NCIS team leader could think of as he was in the plane that would bring him to Abby.

He just hoped that it wasn't too late. He hoped from the bottom of his heart that his favorite forensic scientist would find it in her heart for forgive him. And that she would be willing to give them a chance to be together.

Why was it so difficult to let go? His thoughts drifted to this particular even when they'd kissed for the first time.

Why had he let her go that night? She should have taken her hand and pulled her inside with him, dragger her to his bedroom and make love with her to show her how much she meant to him. No instead of that he'd been afraid ones more, he'd liked kissing her too much and been afraid that if thing might have gone further and if at some point it could go wrong, they would've lost their friendship while he knew in the back of his mind that no one could have any guarantee on anything in life.

The results of his actions? A real mess!

Abby ran away from him to hide in California, and now she was hurt in an hospital because she'd been hit by a car. And unfortunately for him there was no way he could go back in time to undo things, he wasn't any... what was the time of the show again? Leap... something... Oh _Quantum Leap, right_. Gibbs wasn't Dr. Sam Beckett who was about to leap into someone's body to make right what went wrong at some point in someone's life.

Gibbs hoped that Tony would never figure out about him knowing about that TV show otherwise he would never leave him alone. He had never been a TV guy. There were much more interesting things to do in life than watching television like reading a good book for instants, but from time to time, the silver-haired man could watch some TV, like that one particular night he had discovered the show. It had taken him a couple a minutes to grasp the idea of the show, but then he had found the concept interesting. Time travelling... who hadn't once in his life dreamed about being able to time travel?

The question he had ask himself was where would he go? In the past or the future? The future maybe? Nah. Go to the unknown while he could as well go back to the past and maybe relive the happy moments he lived with Shannon and Kelly...

The choice was rapidly made.

What would he have done then? Would he really have done things differently or was it one of the events in life — his life —, that wasn't suppose to change? The same way he was convinced even if we had the possibility of time traveling some events wouldn't be able to be changed.

He wasn't able to be back in time to prevent Abby from being hit by that car, but he would be damned if he wasn't going to be there for her and with her in the future —their future.

As he closed his eyes, he leaned backwards in his seat as his thoughts, once more, drifted to that night. The kiss they'd shared and the way her lips had felt on his. He'd give anything he possessed to be able to kiss her again and again until they would both forget the rest of the world.

Gibbs suddenly realized that he was tired to be the man he was, he was tired of being alone. Tired of coming back to empty house. There was more in live than work, bad guys to catch. There was more to life than spend his nights with ghosts.

Shannon wouldn't have wanted it anyway. He had never wanted to let them go, that was the reasons his marriages never held after they died. He refused to let them rest. It was his way to punish himself.

Only did he realize that by punishing himself he was also punishing others. Take the matter in hands, he told himself, and turn your life around.

Abby was staring at the ceiling of her hospital room. This was definitely not how she had planned the time she'd spent in California with Josh. And wanting to get a little distance between Gibbs and herself because all she wanted now was for him to be here with her. Something unlikely to happen according to what she had witnessed the last time she was there.

Fortunately, she had no broken bones, just cuts and bruises, nothing major, but still. Where did she get the idea that leaving was going to help her forget her silver-haired fox that made all tingly inside? It was ridiculous love wasn't something you could erase as simply as the sun makes the ice melt.

It had worked exactly twenty minutes tops, and then Gibbs had invaded her thoughts again, and made her heartbeat rise in her chest.

She needed to talked to him. She needed to tell him why she left, he deserved to know the truth.

Josh chose that particular moment to enter to room. A smile appeared on her lips as she saw her friend walking through the door. He greeted her with a huge bouquet of black roses.

A came to sit on the bed and leaned forward to place a soft kiss on her cheek. He immediately saw that something in her eyes had changed, the light that had always been there was back.

"Hey sweetie, how are you feeling?" He asked her.

"The cuts and bruises hurts, but nothing I can't managed."

"That kid didn't miss you, did he?"

"No, but it looks worse than it is. Those kids are the ones we should worry about."

Josh lifted an eyebrow as he looked at her questioningly.

"Oh come on, Josh, you know what I mean, they are rich and alone most of the time cause their parents' are too busy to realize, they have a child that have needs and definitely a need of affection."

Leave it to Abby to defend rich kids.

"You are impossible, you know that."

"Yeah, but that is why people love me." She told him.

He laughed at her before become serious again. "Marcus needs to be taught a lesson. Rich people have a tendency to think they're allowed to do whatever they want. While they should, in fact, be a model for others like TV stars."

"TV stars, movie stars or rich people aren't any different from us you know... they have more money that's for sure, and they might act arrogantly, but they still have to put their pants on one leg after the other just, like you and me. They also die like everybody else; they're not spared from life because they have money. As for the Marcus, I agree with you, but I have my idea on how to teach him a lesson and believe me, he won't get drunk behind a wheel ever again."

"Yeah, maybe, but you can't deny that money makes lots of things easier."

"For the comfort yeah. Josh can I borrow your cell phone please?"

"Sure. Why?" He said, reach in his pocket to retrieve it.

"I'd like to call Gibbs. I need to talk to him."

Josh Landrew held it out to her, but held it back just enough for her not to be able to take it. "Are you sure you want to do that?"

"Yes, I am. I made a mistake. I should have left without talking to him. Who knows, maybe it wasn't even a new girlfriend. I can't believe he didn't feel anything when we kissed that night. As I think of it now, I'm sure Gibbs must have a very good reason to be with that woman."

"Alright, but he better not make you cry again..." She said and was about to give her his cell when they heard: "I won't."

At the sound of his voice, Abby's face lit up and her heartbeat increased. "Gibbs!" She said excitingly as she saw him walk toward them over her friend shoulder.

"Alright then, I think I'm gonna go back and see how Silver and Black Beauty are doing, but if you need anything just give me a call, okay?"

He told as he bent over to kiss her cheek.

"Pet the dogs for me."

"I will." He told her softly as he stood and walked toward the door. On his way out he nodded his head to Gibbs and looked him straight in the eyes a little too long for it to be just casual.

It was rather a look that said: _Great Gibbs or not if you make her cry again I won't hesitate to punch you in the face._

As he had his hand on the doorknob, Josh turned to look at Abby one last time and couldn't help the smile that appeared on his lips when he saw her the man she loved together.

Yup those two were definitely in love with each other, but still somewhat in denial. Thought Josh had a feeling the denial phase wouldn't be there for long. The look on their faces said it all.

He smiled as he silently closed the door behind him.

 

The End … for now.


End file.
